Chapter 157: James Confesses
"I know I've done a lot of wrong things and hurt Mia deeply. I really know I was wrong. I want so badly to make it up to her, but Mia won't give me a chance. She just wants to divorce me."
"I love her, I really do. I don't want to divorce her. I don't want to lose her."
"Please help me. Can you talk to her for me?"
James had cried too much last night—his eyes were still red.
He looked straight at Alice, not avoiding her cold gaze, his eyes full of pleading.
"If she just gives me one more chance, I'll make it up to her. I'll treat her even better than before."
Alice looked at James.
She saw his sincerity, his guilt, and also his complete and unreserved love for Mia and how he truly didn't want to lose her.
"Okay, I'll have a good talk with Mia."
Finally, Alice nodded.
James stood up excitedly, about to thank her, but Alice cut him off first. "Don't thank me. I haven't promised to help you."
She just wanted to see what Mia's attitude was.
She was happy now, and Mia was her best friend. If there was still a possibility, she hoped Mia could be happy too.
Before she left, Mia had been truly joyful.
She wanted Mia to keep her current independent thinking and also become that happy Mia again.
……
Mia had to work during the day, so she and Alice agreed to meet in the evening.
Alice picked a restaurant they both used to love. After dinner, the two left the restaurant.
Outside, Alice reached out and took Mia's cold hand.
"Want to walk together? Help digest the food?"
In the past, Mia loved to eat, and whenever she ate too much, she'd drag Alice along to walk it off.
"Okay."
Mia didn't refuse. When Alice took her hand, she held hers back. Just like before, the two walked side by side intimately in the night.
The atmosphere was so good that Alice turned her head to glance at Mia beside her.
After being apart for several months, she didn't know how to start for a moment.
Sensing Alice's gaze, Mia turned to meet her eyes and spoke first: "Did James come to see you?"
She used a question, but the words were stated with certainty.
She knew that after James found out Alice was back, he would definitely go find her to be a mediator.
James was very clear about Alice's importance to her.
She was willing to listen to what Alice said, and she would listen.
"Yes."
Alice nodded.
And told Mia everything James had said to her.
After finishing, Alice looked at Mia and asked softly, "Mia, what do you think?"
Mia sighed softly. There happened to be a bench ahead, and she led Alice over to sit down.
She hadn't wanted to tell Alice about the past.
But Alice was truly worried about her, and she knew that Alice came as a mediator because she knew how much she used to love James.
Alice wanted her to be happy, wanted her to be joyful.
"Alice..."
Mia held Alice's hand and, in a very calm tone, told her what had happened during this time.
"I'm sorry!"
Alice hugged Mia with heartache.
She really didn't know that in just a few short months, Mia had gone through so much.
How did she get through it all alone?
There were many details Mia didn't mention.
But Alice was the person who understood Mia best. She knew how hard it was, how much pain she felt.
"Mia, I'm really sorry. When you were suffering, I wasn't by your side."
If she had been there, even if she couldn't change anything, she could at least be with Mia.
When she was sad, when she was hurting, she could have held her.
"Alice, don't say sorry. We don't need to say sorry to each other."
She hadn't told Alice before because she didn't want her to feel guilty and blame herself.
Mia raised her hand and gently patted Alice's back, comforting her, saying calmly in her ear: "This is my own life path. Every choice was made by myself."
"Whether happy or painful, I chose it myself, so I bear it myself."
When James cheated during their marriage, she was in too much pain, too devastated.
At that time, she desperately wanted to find Alice, wanted her to be by her side.
But she couldn't find her.
She couldn't reach Alice no matter what.
When the pain became too much for one person to bear, there were a few moments when she got stuck in negative thoughts and actually resented Alice.
Why, when she needed someone, was her best friend not there?
But later she understood that besides herself, no one could be relied on forever.
Alice was her best friend, but no one said that when she needed her, Alice had to be there for her!
Everyone has their own life. She had no right to blame anyone!
"Alice, it's all in the past. I'm fine now. It doesn't hurt at all anymore."
Mia took a tissue from her bag and wiped away Alice's tears.
Alice held Mia's hand and let her lean on her shoulder, just like before.
Quietly, neither of them spoke.
After a long while, Alice finally asked softly: "Mia, have you really decided?"
Decided to divorce James!
"Yes!"
Mia answered softly.
She was no longer the old Mia.
Acting on impulse.
Now, every step she took was carefully thought through.
Hearing Mia say this, Alice already knew in her heart.
"Mia, no matter what decision you make, I'll always be on your side."
"I know."
Mia still couldn't help but put her arms around Alice. Two equally slender girls quietly embraced in the night.
……
Time passed nine o'clock. Alice drove Mia back to the entrance of Luxe Haven.
"I'm heading back now. Text me when you get home."
Mia turned her head to remind Alice, and before getting out of the car, she hugged her.
Standing outside the car, she waved at Alice, then turned and walked inside.
Mia's figure slowly disappeared from view, and only then did Alice tell the driver to go.
The car drove out of Luxe Haven, and Alice had the driver pull over.
As soon as the car stopped, James, who had been waiting outside, immediately strode forward.